boyutpedia Chapter 91: Battle Against the Silverback Ape King
Chapter 91: Battle Against the Silverback Ape King
The moment the Silverback Ape King stepped into the core of this area—
"Buzz—!"
A deep, resonant rumble echoed through the cave! A shield, its four sides inscribed with intricate "Earth" runes and radiating a thick, earthy-yellow light, suddenly emerged from behind three massive stone pillars! Zhou Fu, Zhao Si, and the other three gritted their teeth, pouring all their remaining spiritual energy into the shield, desperately holding it against the inside! The six shields instantly formed a stable triangular formation, firmly sealing off the Silverback Ape King's left and right sides, as well as the space behind it, except for the direction it had come from! The ceaselessly flowing earthy-yellow runes on the shields intertwined and merged, transforming into a solid, heavy, pale yellow wall of light, exuding a calm, mountain-like aura!
The Silverback Ape King was suddenly trapped. Its massive body jerked to a halt, and a look of surprise and confusion flashed in its crimson eyes before being replaced by an even more intense and frenzied rage! It felt itself caught in a meticulously woven snare!
"roar--!!!"
With a deafening roar, the Silverback Ape King swung its right arm, which was thicker than a grown man's waist, and poured all its violent power into it, crashing it down like a meteor into the nearest shield!
"Thump—!!!"
A massive, dull thud, like a bell struck by brute force, exploded with a deafening roar! The sound waves pierced everyone's eardrums! The shield, directly hit, dented backward, its surface flashing with a violent, earthy-yellow light! Zhao Si, wielding the shield, felt an irresistible, brute force surge through him, as if his internal organs had shifted. A sweet taste rose in his throat, but he gritted his teeth and swallowed the blood that welled up in his mouth. The rocky ground beneath his feet cracked and split open like a spiderweb, his legs sinking deep into the cracks, yet the shield in his hand had withstood this earth-shattering blow! The formation, though fluctuating, remained intact!
Almost at the same moment the Ape King swung its arm to smash the shield, its old strength dissipated, and its body paused slightly, Lu Ling and the others launched their second round of precise attacks from the shadows on its upper flank! Crossbow bolts pierced the air, talismans flashed, and although most of them were deflected by the Ape King's protective demonic energy and thick fur, there were always one or two crossbow bolts with extremely tricky angles that took advantage of the openings under its armpits exposed by the attack, or that struck its eyelids, which were wide open in anger but slightly sluggish due to the recoil of the attack, forcing it to be distracted and dodge.
What enraged the Silverback Ape King even more was that the slippery human, who was like a persistent leech, was no longer simply dodging and weaving. Instead, taking advantage of the perfect opportunity when the ape was trapped by the rune shield, its movements were restricted, and it was distracted by ranged attacks, it suddenly closed in! The longsword in its hand, emitting a gray-black aura, transformed into a dense and ruthless net of blades, launching a rapid and relentless attack on the ape's relatively vulnerable vitals, such as the inside of its slightly open maw due to its roar, its bulging red eyes, and its ear canals!
The cave's interior was confined by massive stone pillars and shield-like walls of light, hindering the Silverback Ape King's enormous body from maneuvering and greatly diminishing its strength advantage. Lin Yan, empowered by his [Swiftness] talent, maximized the danger and precision of his agile movements and close-quarters combat. His movements were ghostly and elusive, his blade flashing like a venomous wound, always striking the ape king when its attacks faltered or its defenses faltered, leaving trails of blood imbued with soul-devouring true essence. That grayish-black true essence relentlessly invaded, like countless greedy tiny ants, continuously consuming and eroding the ape king's immense demonic power and vibrant life force.
The Silverback Ape King roared repeatedly, its arms flailing wildly, trying to smash the "turtle shell" before it and swat away the extremely annoying "fly." However, it always failed due to the stubborn resistance of the talisman shield, the continuous ranged harassment, and Lin Yan's elusive and targeted attacks. The "Earth Array" formed by the talisman shield, though its light flickered and it teetered on the brink of collapse under the desperate efforts of Zhou Fu and the others who took turns bearing the impact, was like a reef in a raging storm that was never completely crushed. Meanwhile, Lin Yan's blade became increasingly dangerous and poisonous, forcing the Ape King to devote a great deal of its attention to defense.
The battle was locked in a strange stalemate. But it was clear to the discerning eye that the Silverback Ape King was trapped in a small area, wasting its energy, and its demonic power and life force were being continuously eroded by the strange gray-black energy. The wounds on its body were increasing, and signs of defeat were already quietly emerging.
Outside the cave came the increasingly agitated and furious roars of the silverback apes, along with the loud thuds of the apes violently slamming against the talisman shields at the cave entrance. However, the cave entrance was narrow, allowing only one ape to rush in at a time, and Wang Dashan and his men held it back firmly with several talisman shields. For a while, although the apes outside were extremely anxious, they were unable to break through the iron-clad defense.
Unable to break through, and inflicting new wounds, the Silverback Ape King's demonic power was continuously depleted under the eerie corrosive influence. Its ferocious movements finally showed a slight, almost imperceptible slowing and hesitation. The pure rage in its crimson eyes began to be mixed with a trace of obvious anxiety, and a hint of unease and fear stemming from its life instincts.
Lin Yan's senses were incredibly sharp; he instantly detected this fleeting change in aura and fluctuation in mental state. He knew that the moment of truth he had been waiting for had arrived!
He abruptly activated the pale golden core within his chest and abdomen to its maximum, unleashing his spiritual power like a burst dam into the fine steel longsword in his hand, which already showed subtle cracks! The blade emitted a mournful "hum" as it struggled under the weight, and the gray-black blade light suddenly surged to over four feet in length, its movements erratic and radiating a terrifying destructive aura! He used the Seven Star Steps, his figure like a ghostly phantom, and in the instant the Ape King's ribs were exposed due to his arm swinging against the talisman shield, he closed in and thrust out his blade!
This strike held no flair whatsoever, embodying all his newly acquired Core Formation cultivation, the killing intent accumulated from countless battles, and his deepest understanding of the [Burning Mountain Claw]'s essence of burning away all things! The blade moved silently, yet its speed surpassed visual perception, its ruthlessness aimed directly at the vital points of life and death, and its accuracy seemed to have been practiced a thousand times over!
"Pfft—!"
The dark gray blade pierced into the relatively soft, sparsely haired area under the Silverback Ape King's ribs without any hindrance, all the way to the hilt! Hot, viscous, dark red demon blood gushed out from the specially made blood groove, splattering onto Lin Yan's arms and chest!
"Awooo—!!!!!"
The Silverback Ape King let out a deafening howl, filled with extreme pain, rage, and the terror of impending death! The howl was so powerful that it caused ripples to spread across the light wall of the rune shield in front of it, and the shield-bearer nearly fainted, bleeding from his ears and nose! Its massive body stiffened abruptly, then unleashed the most frenzied and reckless destructive power of its last breath. Its arms, moving with unprecedented speed and strength, swung like two out-of-control giant meteor hammers, carrying a crushing gale, relentlessly sweeping and striking towards Lin Yan's location beside it!
Lin Yan had already anticipated this desperate counterattack! The moment the blade pierced through, he used the force to pull his sword away, his body shooting backward like a slingshot from a powerful bow! Even though he retreated extremely quickly, he was still grazed by the edge of the violent gale of the Ape King's hateful attack. His chest and abdomen churned with blood, his throat tasted slightly sweet, and several more bloody marks appeared on his body from the flying shards of stone. But in the end, he narrowly avoided this fatal blow that would destroy everything.
The Silverback Ape King's furious, all-out attack lost its accuracy and some control due to the severe injury to its ribs and the disordered demonic power. In addition, the excessive force caused its massive body to lose its balance and stagger backward, crashing into the talisman shield that Zhou Fu personally guarded behind it!
"Snap! Pfft—!"
The shield, which had withstood the most impact and was already riddled with fine cracks, finally succumbed to the force of the dying Ape King's attack! The "Earth" rune in the center of the shield suddenly dimmed and shattered, revealing several jagged gaps in the shield. Zhou Fu, who was holding the shield, coughed up a mouthful of blood as if struck by lightning. He and the shield were sent flying backward by the immense force, crashing heavily onto the base of a stalagmite several meters away! The triangular formation of the "Earth Formation" was immediately exposed with a significant gap!
But it's too late.
The Silverback Ape King staggered and turned around, blood gushing from the wound on its ribs like a fountain, staining large patches of its silvery-gray fur red. Its once majestic, mountain-like aura was rapidly fading, and the raging flames in its crimson eyes quickly dissipated, replaced by a deathly gray and dissipated state. Yet, deep within that grayness, it still stared intently at Lin Yan not far away, filled with endless resentment and unwillingness.
Lin Yan stood holding his sword, slightly panting. His clothes were torn and stained with blood, and several wounds were still bleeding, but his back remained straight, and his gaze remained as calm as ancient ice. He slowly raised the long sword in his hand, the gray-black aura remaining on the tip of the blade intertwined with dark red demonic blood, pointing it at the Silverback Ape King's vital point between its brows, ready to deliver the final fatal blow to this savage overlord.
Just then, something unexpected happened!
Suddenly, the silverback ape king emitted a strange, guttural sound, like rusty iron scraping against gravel. It struggled to move its thick, blood-stained lips, and with each clench of its fangs, it managed to squeeze out a few broken, strangely distorted, yet still discernible, human words:
"A petty...thief...thief...stealing from an immortal...the immortal's...treasure..."
These hoarse, broken, yet incredibly clear human words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Lin Yan's head in the dead of winter! His pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints, and the knuckles of his fingers gripping the hilt of the knife turned white from excessive force! The spiritual energy flowing through his body even stagnated!
An immortal?!
In the blink of an eye, it was as if a thunderclap exploded in Lin Yan's mind! Countless images and thoughts flashed and collided wildly—finally transforming into the afterimage of the blue-robed Taoist setting up an array to seal the spirit at the spiritual core of the Misty Ancient Forest.
An extremely bold, even somewhat absurd and terrifying idea, yet subtly connecting all the clues, suddenly struck his mind like a lightning bolt piercing the sky in the darkness!
He stared intently at the silverback ape king, its breath fading rapidly, its life force rapidly draining away, yet still glaring at him with eyes filled with human-like resentment and a strange, complex emotion. His throat was dry, and he tentatively uttered each word:
"You...know...Senior Qingyangzi?"
These words seemed to have triggered a forbidden switch buried deep in the dust of time and space!
The Silverback Ape King's crimson pupils, which had been gradually fading and turning gray with impending death, suddenly contracted violently! Its massive, powerless body trembled almost imperceptibly! A hoarse sound came from its throat, and more blood and foam gushed out. It seemed to be using its last remaining sanity and strength to try to say something, but its lips trembled and could only utter indistinct syllables and blood bubbles. However, the rage, resentment, and unwillingness that had filled those giant eyes strangely faded away, replaced by a deeper, more complex emotion—a mixture of bewildered recollection, a distant, childlike longing, and a profound sorrow?
It nodded its heavy, weary, enormous head with difficulty and with an extremely slight touch.
A hoarse, broken, and barely audible voice, accompanied by its last vestiges of life, was sparingly squeezed out from between its bloodied teeth:
"It was...it was that...old...old man...who...brought me here before I even opened my eyes...and...gave me...awakened my...spiritual intelligence...so that...so that I...guard...this...beside the spiritual vein...so that...so that evil people...don't...don't let them defile...the earth's veins..."
Before the words had even finished, as if to confirm these earth-shattering words, or perhaps because the time had come, an extraordinary phenomenon suddenly occurred!
Above the central groove of the stone platform deep within the cave, the tip of the thickest, most lustrous stalactite, as translucent as jade, suddenly emitted a soft, milky-white glow without warning! The glow rapidly expanded and brightened, as warm and gentle as moonlight. Then, a drop of viscous liquid, as refined as cream, milky white in color, emitting a refreshing and invigorating fragrance that seemed to cleanse the soul, slowly formed from the tip of the stalagmite, and with a trembling "plop," fell softly into the groove below!
The first drop had barely fallen when the second one appeared! The third, the fourth… the tips of several other thick stalactites on the cave ceiling also lit up with the same milky white halo, and milky white spiritual liquid began to slowly seep out and drip! The concentration of spiritual energy in the entire cave rose sharply, and the pure and peaceful spiritual energy mixed with the fragrance of spiritual milk spread like a tide, making people feel comfortable all over after taking a breath.
The spiritual milk began to secrete on this once-in-a-lifetime full moon night!
Almost at the same moment the spiritual milk dripped down, the silverback apes outside the cave, which had been frantically ramming against the talisman shield and roaring incessantly, suddenly stopped their violent commotion without warning! For a moment, an eerie silence fell outside the cave, with only heavy breathing and uneasy groans faintly heard.
The dying Silverback Ape King beside the stone trough struggled to lift its still-powerful forepaw with trembling, extremely difficult movements. Its blood-stained fingertip pointed towards the milky-white spiritual liquid that had just gathered in the trough, a mere thin layer yet radiating an alluring luster and boundless vitality. Its crimson eyes fixed on Lin Yan, and it forced out its last few broken but stubborn syllables:
"Give me……"
Lin Yan was shocked, his thoughts racing. He glanced at the Silverback Ape King, whose breath was weak but whose gaze was unwavering, then looked at the eerie silence outside the cave, and then felt the surging pure spiritual energy and the refreshing fragrance of spiritual milk inside the cave. This ape king seemed to have an extraordinary connection with the senior "Qingyangzi" who set up the array to seal the spirit.
In a flash, Lin Yan had made his decision. He said in a deep voice to Zhou Fu, who was struggling to get up not far away, and Lu Ling and the others who were peeking out from their ambush point, "Be on guard, but hold off on attacking for now." He then flashed to the edge of the stone trough.
The milky white spiritual liquid in the stone trough had accumulated to about half a bowl, crystal clear and with a fragrant aroma. Lin Yan took out an empty jade bottle he carried with him and carefully scooped up a few drops of the spiritual liquid.
He returned to the Silverback Ape King, squatted down, gently pried open the king's blood-stained lips with one hand, and carefully poured a few drops of milky white spiritual liquid from the jade bottle into its mouth with the other.
The elixir entered his throat, and extraordinary phenomena immediately occurred!
The terrifying wound beneath the Silverback Ape King's ribs, pierced by the long sword and still gushing blood, began to visibly tighten and shrink at an alarming rate! The bleeding stopped rapidly, and although the massive wound didn't heal instantly—after all, it was a fatal wound containing Devouring Spirit Essence, and Spirit Milk wasn't a panacea—the wound noticeably shrank, its color changing from dark red to bright red, and even tiny buds of flesh began to sprout at the edges! The Ape King's rapidly weakening and nearly dissipated aura suddenly surged as if injected with a stimulant; though still weak, it was no longer in a state of near-death despair, but had stabilized!
The Silverback Ape King let out a very soft, seemingly comfortable whimper. Its half-closed giant eyes opened slightly, and the resentment and unwillingness in its gaze toward Lin Yan had mostly dissipated, replaced by a complex and indescribable expression.
Lin Yan straightened up, looking at the milky white spiritual liquid that was still slowly dripping from the stone trough. He glanced at the Silverback Ape King, whose breathing had temporarily stabilized but who was still severely injured and weak, unable to move. He then glanced at the direction of the ape troop outside the cave, which remained silent but from which faint, suppressed growls could be heard. He understood that today's events could not be simply concluded as "slaying the demonic beast and seizing the spiritual milk."
He faced the Silverback Ape King, his voice steady and clear, conveying his meaning: "The spiritual milk here is a gift of heaven and earth, appearing only once every sixty years. We have come here for this very opportunity. However, since you have a past with Senior Qingyangzi and your guarding of this place may have a deeper purpose, I do not wish to take it all, nor do I wish to forge a deadly enmity with you and your clan. I will only take a small amount for healing and cultivation, leaving the majority here. What do you say?"
The Silverback Ape King listened quietly, its massive crimson eyes fixed on Lin Yan for a moment. After a long while, it nodded very slightly, uttering a low syllable of agreement. Then, it struggled to raise its forepaw towards the cave entrance, hoarsely saying, "I... am outside... waiting... for... you... quickly..."
Lin Yan made up his mind and no longer hesitated. He turned to the others and said, "Lu Ling, guard the cave entrance. If there is any unusual activity, alert us immediately. Zhou Fu, bring the injured brothers over. Give each of them a drop of spiritual milk to heal their wounds and strengthen their constitution. Zhao Si, bring a clean gourd."
Soon, everyone did as instructed. Lu Ling and his men cautiously guarded the broken talisman shield at the cave entrance. Zhou Fu, Wang Dashan, and other seriously injured team members, supported by their companions, carefully each ingested a drop of the spiritual milk from the stone trough. The spiritual liquid transformed into a warm and abundant current as it entered their stomachs, quickly circulating throughout their limbs and bones. The internal injuries and hidden pains were greatly relieved, and their spiritual energy was rapidly restored. Even some old, hidden injuries showed signs of loosening, and everyone's face showed a look of surprise and relief.
Zhao Si brought over a dried jade gourd. Lin Yan personally held the gourd and squatted by the stone trough to catch the slowly dripping milky white spiritual liquid. The milky white liquid dripped into the gourd's mouth with a crisp "ding-dong" sound, and the exotic fragrance became increasingly rich.
Having collected about half a gourdful, and seeing that nearly half of the spiritual liquid in the stone trough had evaporated, while the dripping speed from the stalagmites on the dome seemed to be slowing down, Lin Yan stopped, stuffed the gourd tightly into his robes, and put it away. He glanced at the remaining spiritual liquid in the stone trough, which still emitted a hazy glow and fragrance, then looked towards the cave entrance, and at the Silverback Ape King on the ground, whose aura had become much calmer and who was quietly watching them.
He knew that everything in excess was harmful, and moderation was the way to long-term success. Obtaining so much spiritual milk today was already an unexpected joy, and the fact that he had glimpsed clues related to "Qingyangzi" and perhaps even more ancient secrets was far more important than taking a few more drops of spiritual milk. Moreover, leaving most of it behind was not only fulfilling his promise to the Silverback Ape King, but also preserving life in this place, and perhaps even forging a good connection.
"Let's go," Lin Yan ordered in a deep voice, no longer hesitant.
The group quickly gathered their equipment, helped the wounded to their feet, and maintained their defensive formation as they slowly retreated towards the cave entrance. As they passed the Silverback Ape King, Lin Yan paused slightly and nodded. The Silverback Ape King looked at him, its massive crimson eyes still displaying complex emotions, but no longer harboring any hostility.
Exiting the narrow entrance, we emerged outside the cave. The pale purple miasma still lingered, though much thinner. On the open ground outside the cave entrance, a dozen or so robust silverback apes sat or stood silently, forming a semi-circle that subtly sealed the entrance. Most of them bore wounds, yet none roared or charged; instead, they silently watched the humans filing out of the cave with eyes that held a mixture of wariness, curiosity, and still-fierceness.
The gazes of the leading giant apes were particularly fixed on the seriously injured silverback ape king, which was being carefully carried out by its companions on a makeshift stretcher. They let out a few low moans, as if they were greetings.
Lying on the stretcher, the silverback ape king struggled to raise its front paws and gently waved them towards the troop, then let out a low growl as if giving a command. The troop stirred slightly before slowly parting to make way for them, still watching them intently but without any intention of attacking.
Lin Yan led his team cautiously through the silent and oppressive passage cleared by the silverback apes. Each step was steady, their gaze calmly meeting the giant apes' stares.
Lin Yan felt somewhat relieved when the group completely emerged from the ape encirclement and stepped into the edge of the miasma.
However, just as they were about to completely disappear into the miasma and leave the area, a deep yet clearly audible call came from behind them from the Silverback Ape King:
"Follow me..."
Lin Yan paused abruptly and turned around. He saw the Silverback Ape King, carried on a stretcher, straining to turn its head, gazing intently at him with its enormous, crimson eyes. That gaze seemed to contain some kind of invitation? Or perhaps, guidance?
Where is it taking itself?